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Proselytes of Monophysitism
A faction of the Dark Mechanicum residing inside The Grave, they claim to have participated in the Horus Heresy and fought under the Eye of Horus the Warmaster. Historically they have made several attempts to conquer Sector Deus, the latest at 777.M40 which ended in defeat at the hands of a joint Nestorian-Imperial force at the Battle of Agartha. From the very start of the Heresy until this dark millennium the Monophysites have been led by the Archimandrite and his second in command Kemet the Shifter. The core of their dominion is based in Antioch deep in the Grave. History and Ideology Monophysitism espouses a rejection of the traditional Adeptus Mechanicus doctrine of furthering the Quest of Knowledge through recovery of STC blueprints as well as the 16 Universal Laws of the Omnissiah. It argues that the basis of any technological advancement must come from within its people and promotes innovation and creation, preferring new designs and patterns. Relegating any recovered STCs as the golden standard to meet and surpass though some of their innovations over several millennia bear a striking resemblance to those ancient designs. The followers of Monophysitism espouse the belief that their ideology is the natural end of the ideals of the Great Crusade. Monophysites say that the Great Crusade was an era of renaissance in technology with the Emperor of Mankind as its titular head who promoted progress and revolutionary breakthroughs in contrast to stagnant Martian Orthodoxy. Novelty and progress became the watchword of that day and age. Sadly, even the Emperor of Mankind an unparalleled visionary was as hidebound as Mars in certain technological paths such as A.I. development. When the revolutionary Warmaster Horus Luprecal and Kelbor Hal the Fabricator General of Mars raised their banners in rebellion, the Monophysites were immediately drawn to them when the Warmaster and the Fabricator General not only repealed the many prohibitions on technological research but were one of the foremost proponents of warp based technology. It was after that announcement that the Monophysites started gaining proficiency in warp script, enhancing their tools to new heights; though at the cost of durability. Like many in the rebel camp, after the fall of the Warmaster the Monophysites searched long and hard for a safe haven until they finally reached the Grave in Sector Deus from where they continue to dream of spreading their teachings to the galaxy at large. Monophysite Script The Monophysites have developed a complex written language that when written in blood on something, and with a certain technique, would result in an “improvement” for the object written upon. The quality of blood, the specific words used and the skill of the writer have the most effect on the final outcome. It is widely known that the blood of Craftworld Eldar is extremely potent and entire stores of said blood are kept in stasis to be used in only the most vital of rituals. There are also rumours that the Monophysites have Eldar captives as a source of constant replenishment of their ingredients. Military Strength In recent centuries following their defeat at the hands of the Nestorians at the Battle of Agartha the Monophysites are a shadow of their former selves. From titans to skitarii there is a noticeable loss in both quantity and quality in their armed force. The Monophysites have notably focused on raiding to compensate. Their machines, which can be traced from the dawn of the Imperium, and the Monophysite script make them particularly suited to hit and run attacks. It is suspected by Imperial and Nestorian logisticians that the Monophysites have several small hidden bases throughout the sector based on the small yet numerous raids launched. Bounty There is a longstanding bounty of unknown, non-Imperial source on the leading members of the Monophysites with records of bounties being claimed stretching back to the chaotic days of the Heresy and its aftermath. In this day and age any that wish to claim a bounty need only bring their proof to a free port or in hushed whispers several Imperial ones. It is unknown just exactly how the proof is verified, only that those who have attempted to fake it have died very gruesome and public deaths. The highest bounties are on the Archimandrite and his right hand man Kemet the Shifter. Interestingly, over the millennia there have been several individuals who were able to successfully claim the bounty on the Shifter. Deeds of Note One of their most famous acts over several millennia was during one of Abaddon’s later Black Crusades, defeating an Adeptus Mechanicus expeditionary force with titans from several different legions as they moved to engage the Warmaster. A sorcerer of the Black Legion attached to the Monophysites for some time enacted a ritual which opened a massive portal from which the Warmaster could pass. As the sorcerer crafted the portal, the area chosen for it was refashioned by the Monophysites in mimicry of the Triumph of Ullanor, the land made into a plain as far as the eye can see except for a small artificially created plateau. As the Warmaster stepped through the portal he found row upon row of titan engines raising their weapons in salute as well as throngs of mortals wishing to bask upon his glory. He personally wished to acknowledge the Monophysite role in this latest Crusade’s triumpth. Knowing their talents the Warmaster presented several gifts. The first was a line of collared Eldar prisoners marched from the portal to be a source of valuable materials for their craft. The last of which was an incredibly potent psyker of their race skilled in divination. The second was a personal gift to Kemet the Shifter; several crates which the Warmaster explained enigmatically were spare parts. Finally the Archimandrite himself received a scroll. It is unknown what the scroll contained but when the Archimandrite finished reading it he gave an incredibly pleased expression which for most of his underlings was of an unheard-of occurrence. The Monophysites responded with gifts of their own, master crafted artifacts and other esoteric things made by the Monophysite's best. Though the most prized among them was a work made by the Archimandrite and his second, a cogitation machine capable of processing vast numbers of data in astonishing speed using the lobotomized minds of the recently defeated enemy titan crews. A more mundane though undoubtedly valued gift was the Monophysites offer to repair and resupply any of the Warmaster’s ships that would operate around the sectors and its neighbours at no cost. The site of the Triumph quickly became a base from which elements of the Black Legion and other warbands were able to mount devastating raids in the sector and its neighbours. Recent History After their defeat at the Battle of Agartha, the Monophysites have entered into a sharp decline. Internally, a large number of experienced members were killed leaving an acute shortage of competent personnel. Not to mention the loss of many of their war machines such as titans and warships most notably the Beth Gazar an Imperator Titan powered by an experimental atomic arc reactor custom made for the machine. Externally, they have lost much of their influence within the Grave and many warbands have launched raids against their territory. Worse still, their ally the Anti-Cardinal of Avignon was killed in a coup, and the new Anti-Cardinal has taken an adversarial position. Though open war has been avoided for now.